Paddle Australia

What Paddle Australia does

Paddle Australia Limited is the federally recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, structured as a non-profit company limited by guarantee and headquartered in Canberra (though firmographic data lists Sydney). The organization governs and standardizes paddlesports across Australia, managing 12 disciplines including Canoe Slalom, Canoe Sprint, Canoe Marathon, Canoe Freestyle, Canoe Ocean Racing, Paracanoe, Canoe Polo, Wildwater Canoeing, SUP, Waveski Surfing, Outrigger, and general Paddlesports. It operates through a federated network of six State Paddle Associations covering NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia, which deliver local training, club coordination, and qualification administration.

The organization delivers its services through a combination of digital platforms and physical programs. Its core technology consists of three proprietary applications: Paddle Log (an online logbook for tracking paddling activities and PAQS qualification hours, available on iOS, Android, and desktop), Paddle Ed (an assessment management app enabling instructors to record and submit student qualifications in the field), and Paddle Prep (a safety and trip planning app with weather/tide integration). The Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme (PAQS) is the national benchmark certification for paddling instructors and guides, registered on 3-year terms. Revenue is generated through membership fees (individual and club tiers), coaching course registration fees (e.g., Introduction to Coaching at $50-$95 plus $60 registration), PAQS qualification registration fees, event registration fees for national championships, and Commercial Provider Memberships for insurance-backed activity delivery. The JustGo platform handles event and membership administration. The organization is a member of Paddle Worldwide (formerly the International Canoe Federation) and partners with the Australian Institute of Sport for high-performance athlete development and with VInsurance Group for member insurance coverage.

Name

Paddle Australia

Legal name

Paddle Australia Limited

Website

https://paddle.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Paddle Australia is the federally recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, governing 12 disciplines through six state associations and delivering nationally standardized qualifications, events, and digital member platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

National Sporting Federation

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

Keywords

• Paddlesports federation
• Canoe kayak coaching
• Paddling certification scheme
• Aquatic sports training
• Paddling membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for individuals joining through clubs and State Paddle Associations, with different tiers for direct members vs club members.
2. Coaching Course Registration: Revenue from Introduction to Coaching ($50-$95 program fee plus $60 registration) and Foundation Coach courses, with prices varying by membership status and state.
3. PAQS Qualification Registration: Registration fees for Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme credentials, registered for 3-year terms with fees varying by qualification type.
4. Event Registration: Fees for national championships and competitive events across disciplines including Slalom, Sprint, Marathon, Freestyle, Ocean Racing, Paracanoe, Polo, Wildwater, and SUP.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Paddle Australia is the federal government-recognized peak national sporting body for paddling in Australia, providing governance, qualification frameworks (PAQS), coaching certification, national championships, and digital tools (Paddle Log, Paddle Ed, Paddle Prep) across 12 paddlesports disciplines spanning canoe, kayak, SUP, outrigger, paracanoe and related sports. It operates a six-state federation structure that delivers standardized instructor/leader qualifications, recreational participation programs (Paddle Oz), elite athlete pathways, and insurance-backed membership services through affiliated clubs.

Product overview

Paddle Australia is the peak sporting body for paddling in Australia, offering a portfolio of mobile applications and programs rather than a unified software product. The core digital offerings consist of three mobile/desktop apps: Paddle Log (online logbook for tracking paddling activities and qualifying hours), Paddle Ed (assessment management for instructors to record and submit student qualifications), and Paddle Prep (safety guidance and trip planning app). Supporting these is the Paddle Australia Qualification Scheme (PAQS), a national certification framework for paddling instructors and guides, and the Paddle Oz participation program for beginners. The organization also provides coaching programs (Introduction to Coaching, Foundation Coach, Talent Coach), officiating certification, and membership administration through the JustGo platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Paddle Log: Online logbook application for paddlers to track their activities and qualification hours, available on Apple and Android devices
• Paddle Ed
• Paddle Prep
• Paddle Oz
• PAQS
• Paddle with Pride

Quantifiable outcome

• 3 paddlers supported among 51 AIS Athlete Education Scholarship recipients
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Waveski AdventurersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 August 2026Official Support Partner announced in August 2026, focused on growing participation and strengthening the waveski surfing discipline within Paddle Australia family.
• Paddle Worldwide (formerly ICF)coreOthers · 29 July 2026Formerly International Canoe Federation, relaunched as Paddle Worldwide in July 2026 as shared global identity. Governing body for international paddlesport competitions including World Championships and Olympic/Paralympic qualification events.
• Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal Partner providing high-performance coaching support, athlete funding through AIS Athlete Education Scholarship (supporting 3 of 51 recipients), and institutional backing for elite paddlesports development. AIS report highlighted progress in high performance coaching including doubling of women head coach numbers.
• VInsurance GroupcoreOthersInsurance provider providing coverage for Paddle Australia members, qualification holders delivering approved courses, affiliated club services, and Commercial Provider Membership holders.
• Paddle NSWcoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in New South Wales.
• Paddle QueenslandcoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Queensland. Positioning Queensland as candidate to host 2030 World Paddle Games.
• Paddle VictoriacoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Victoria.
• Paddle South AustraliacoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in South Australia.
• Paddle TasmaniacoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Tasmania.
• Paddle Western AustraliacoreOthersState Paddle Association affiliated with Paddle Australia, providing training and qualification delivery, club coordination, and local paddlesports development in Western Australia. Collaborated on Remote Sporting Schools program in Kimberley for NAIDOC Week.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• British Canoeing: The national governing body for paddlesports in the United Kingdom, providing qualifications, membership, and elite pathways. Directly comparable as a similarly structured NGB with a coach/instructor qualification scheme (UKCC/BCU Star Awards) and membership-based federation model.
• Australian Sailing: The Australian national governing body for sailing. Highly comparable as a fellow Australian NGB with a similar member-funded, ASC-recognized structure delivering qualifications, club support, and Olympic pathway programs in a related water sport.
• Rowing Australia: The Australian national federation for rowing. Comparable as an Australian NGB managing a single-discipline competitive pathway, qualification framework for coaches/officials, and elite programs through AIS partnership.
• Canoe Kayak Canada: The national federation for paddling in Canada. Comparable as an English-language NGB managing national teams across multiple paddlesports disciplines, delivering coach certification and hosting national championships.
• USA Canoe Kayak: The US national governing body for paddlesports, recognized by the US Olympic Committee. Operates a similar model with national team management, instructor certification, and event sanctioning across canoe/kayak/SUP disciplines.

Broad incumbents

• Swimming Australia: Australia's national federation for aquatic sport. Comparable as a much larger ASC-recognized NGB operating in the water/aquatic space with similar coaching accreditation (learn-to-swim frameworks) and Olympic pathway structure.
• Surfing Australia: The Australian national body for surfing. Comparable as a fellow ASC-recognized NGB with a strong grassroots-to-elite pipeline, commercial sponsorships, and recent integration of wave-ski-related disciplines that overlap with Paddle Australia's Waveski Surfing program.
• Paddle Worldwide (formerly International Canoe Federation): The global governing body for paddlesports, of which Paddle Australia is a member federation. Paddle Worldwide sets international rules and runs World Championships, making it the closest direct analogue and the apex body for national federations like Paddle Australia.

Regional players

• Paddle New Zealand: The national governing body for paddling in New Zealand. Functionally similar to Paddle Australia with a slightly smaller scope; useful as a regional peer given geographic proximity and shared Oceania competition ecosystem.

Others

• Australian Sports Commission: The Australian federal government agency that funds and recognizes national sporting organizations including Paddle Australia. Indirect peer as the institutional counterpart that channels government funding and sets NGB policy frameworks across Australian sport.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/paddle_aus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/PaddleAustralia
• Facebookfacebook.com/paddle.org.au
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/paddle-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/paddle_aus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Paddle Australia